Albus Potter and the Fifth House of Hogwarts
by Frenchtosser
Summary: Albus, Rose, and Scorpius have to tend to some unfinished business. Hermione reluctantly accepts McGonagall's old position, and a new bad guy is walking afoot.
1. Chapter 1

**Albus Potter and the Fifth House of Hogwarts**

DH spoilers!**  
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* * *

"I don't like it Scorpius."

"Yes I know father, but your qualms with the Potters and the Weasley's are not mine, they are my friends." Scorpius said placidly to his father as they walked through Diagon Alley, purchasing Scorpius's school things.

"You've only been at school for a year, a year Scorpius, you're so young, why not try and make friends in your own house?" Draco continued, ignoring his son's quip. Scorpius's sneered,

"With whom? Goyle, Avery, Zambine?" Scorpius gave a bitter laugh, "No father, I don't think so, unlike you I want friends I can trust." Draco froze and turned to his son, his white blonde brows contorted.

"I am only trying to help you, getting in too thick with the Potter's and the Weasley's will not benefit you in Slytherin house." Scorpius opened his mouth to retort, but Draco grabbed his shoulders,

"Listen to me! There is a lot of resentment towards them in Slytherin, and what's more, a lot of resentment towards our family. Joining Potter, will be the same in their eyes as the highest form of treason! It's dangerous Scorpius!"

"Well it's a little late father, everyone knows I'm their friend, and I will remain their friend no matter what, I am not a coward, I am not afraid of what will happen to me."

"Then you're a fool." Draco hissed through his teeth, but released his son non-the-less, for they were attracting many stares. "Come, let us buy your robes."

The duo entered Madam Malkin's robe shop with the same arrogant stride, the same proud indifference, and haughty expressions, yet there was a significant difference in the two. The young boy of twelve held his shoulders high showing defiance and honor, whereas his father carried himself tall because he thought he was better than everyone. Anyone observing them might not have noticed the difference, but Albus Potter who was already having his robes fitted in the shop noticed immediately. Albus's father did not.

Harry Potter's green eyes found Draco's gray ones and immediatlty and he was trasported to 20 some odd years before when he, Ron, and Hermione, had entered the same shop and encountered him. Apparently the aged Madam Malkin remembered too for her voice was high and uneven when she spoke.

"Masters Malfoy! So pleased to see you, won't you wait for a moment, while I summon my daughter." And she scurried off behind a velvet curtain. Harry wondered briefly why she didn't just use a patronas charm, but figured it was probably just an excuse to leave the room. Albus, momentarily free for movement from Madam Malkin hopped down off the platform he was on and beamed at Scorpius. Scorpius beamed back, but did not approach his best friend for uncertainty of what Mr. Potter, and his father would do. Albus seemed to be thinking upon these same lines, for he next looked uneasily up at his father and Draco who were still looking steadly at each other.

"Potter." Draco said finally inclining his head slightly,

"Malfoy." Harry returned and he clapped his hand on Albus's shoulder. "Albus, here, speaks very highly of your son, they spent a lot of time together last year."

"Yes, most of it in detention I've heard." Draco replied cooly, clapping his own hand on Scorpius's shoulder. Harry smiled slightly and looked down at his son wryly.

"Yes, I've spoken to Albus about this, but we can't be too hard on them can we, after all, we spent some time together in detention too our first year, as I remember it." Harry said meeting Draco's eyes again. Draco straightened himself up to his full height which was slightly taller than Harry.

"Yes well, you know what they say, like father, like son." Scorpius looked angrily at the floor, and then apologetically at Albus, who shook his head kindly. Harry who saw all of this, was about to say something else, when the velvet curtain pushed back again, and three women came out. Madam Malkin followed by a pretty woman about Harry and Draco's age, and behind her a little girl with mousy brown hair and pretty jade eyes. She hovered behind the younger woman and looked timidly out at Albus and Scorpius. Both boys smiled at her, but she only responded by hiding completely behind the young womans robes.

"Here now, Masters Malfoy, my daughter Mallory will help you." She gestured to the young woman behind which the jaded eyed little girl was hiding. The woman immediately started helping Scorpius, and Madam Malkin returned to assisting Albus. The rest of the visit was somewhat uneventful, though Albus and Scorpius longed to talk to one another, as they hadn't spoken, but in letters, all summer. Finally 20 minutes later Albus and Harry were ready to leave.

"By, Score I'll save me a seat on the train."

"I will Al, bye." They shook hands briefly and took, Harry and Draco nodded to one another again and they were off.

Harry and Albus met up with Ginny James and Lily ten minuets later in Fortescue's ice cream pallor.

"Hey, did everything fit alright?" Ginny asked as she hugged her husband and son.

"Yes, it was fine, but guess who we ran into?"

"Who?" James asked enthused. He was eating a large double chocolate ice cream, that was running all down his hand and into his lap. Ginny frowned at him, and waved her wand to vanish the mess, James scowled.

"James try to eat your ice cream before it all melts."

"But who did you see?" James asked his father, ignoring his mother's reprimand.

"We saw Score and his dad." Albus said with a frown. Not liking where his father was going with this.

"Oh." Ginny said simply, looking uncomfortable for a minuet. "Albus what kind of ice cream would you like, and I'll get you one."

"You know I don't like ice cream, mum." Albus said distractedly, because he knew that his father and brother had just exchanged looks.

"Daddy, can I an enchanted doll house from Uncle George's?" Lily asked, taking advantage of the silence. Harry smiled at his daughter, and moved to ruffle her hair.

"You already have two enchanted doll house's, Lily. Plus don't you think you're getting a bit old for doll house's? You'll be starting Hogwarts next year."

"I know, but it's a really good doll house!" Lily said her brown eyes wide. Harry looked at Ginny, who shook her head, and mouthed the word 'Christmas'.

"Well you'll just have to put it on your Christmas list and see what happens." Lily looked momentarily downcast but then nodded and returned to her strawberry ice cream. James made a comment about the annoyance of girls and doll houses, and soon the encounter with Draco and Scorpius was forgotten by everyone but Albus, who not for the first time felt out of place in his family.

* * *

Hermione Weasley sat down at the kitchen table at the Burrow two coffee mugs clasped in her hands. She handed one to Mrs. Weasley and sat back in her chair to take a sip of her own. 

"Oh, dear, you should have let Winky made these, you're tired." Mrs. Weasley said taking her own mug gingerly and taking a sip. Mrs. Weasley had finally gotten a house elf, like she had always wanted. They had named her Winky, after the elf that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had known.

"I'm alright," Hermione said smiling, "and Winky's been working all day, she's out in the garden playing with the knomes." Mrs. Weasley chuckled, chasing knomes was Winky's favorite pass time.

"I was offered the position again." Hermione said slowly after taking a draught of her coffee.

"Really?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking intently at her daughter-in-law.

"Yes, I don't know why, I've already told them, its impossible."

"Hermione, I know you don't want to hear this, but- but, maybe it isn't impossible."

"Molly…"

"Dear, heaven knows you'd be brilliant at it, and with Hugo starting school next year, you would be around your children, you would be at the place you love best!" "But its not just that, I have a house to run, and Ron…"

"Ron wants what's best for you, I want what's best for you, you should want that too. You could go home in the evenings, you don't have to live at Hogwarts." Hermione placed her head in her hands. She had been over it a thousand times in her head, all the pro's and con's, all the reasons why she could and couldn't. God knew that she wanted the position, and every letter McGonagall sent was more persuasive. Even Ron was practically pushing her too accept, but still, she felt that she couldn't. She felt that if she went off to Hogwarts, left her job at the magical law enforcement office, that she would be abandoning her family, abandoning her work at the ministry.

"I know, it's an honor to be asked, and a wonderful opportunity but.."

"But what dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked reaching over and touching her daughter-in-law's arm.

"But, I feel like its too good to be true, that if I did it something would go wrong…and I wouldn't be here to fix it." Hermione sighed, and she felt her throat muscles tighten, she wanted to cry, but she knew she couldn't in front of Mrs. Weasley. Molly seemed to sense her emotions non-the-less and gave Hermione's arm a little squeeze.

"Take a risk Hermione, remember you can always come home." Hermione turned her coffee mug around of the table, willing herself not to look at Mrs. Weasley least she see the tears in her eyes.

"Do you really think it's a good idea?" Mrs. Weasley smiled and almost laughed

"My, dear, I think it's the best idea I've ever heard of." Hermione gave a little sniff, and found that her own lips were quivering into a smile. She covered her mouth with her sleeve, so that her next words came out muffled.

"Alright, I'll do it."

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Please R/R. I promise to update as often ad possible but I'm in college so thats pretty much whenever I have spare time which is rarely. I hope you like it, I really do have a plot, so I'm not just trailing off into the abyss. Hope you like it. 

D: I don't own any of the HP characters.

Spoiler: DH spoilers! Beware!

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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

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There was a soft knock on the headmaster's door.

"Enter," said a confident strong voice. Minerva McGonagall walked into the circular office. Her buned hair finally turned to a gray white color.

"Good Evening Professor Marx," Came the still strong voice of a now very fragile looking woman.

"Good Evening Professor McGonagall…I take it you received a positive reply?" The young man asked, reading her mind without even trying. McGonagall looked uneasily at the headmaster for a moment, but the look quickly passed, she sighed in a tired sort of way and nodded.

"Yes, she will be traveling here on the train with her daughter."

"Ah, that's good and bad news, I expect you also came here to give your official resignation." Professor Marx stood up from the desk, and walked around to face Professor McGonagall. Minerva McGonagall shifted her weight but did not meet the young mans black eyes with her own.

"I am the most senior staff member, and I have been for a long time, Professor Marx…I think its time to pass on the torch."

"I see, well Hogwarts will greatly miss you, you carry a piece of it in your heart." McGonagall smiled at the kind words, her thin lips looked papery in the candle light.

"Well Hogwarts can't miss me nearly as much as I'll miss it. And I wouldn't leave, if I didn't have full confidence in the staff that it has now, and that it will have when Mrs. Weasley arrives. I tell you, Maverick, there isn't anyone I would rather carry on my post than Hermione Weasley. It's a true honor for me." Maverick smiled, and then leaned in and kissed his old Professor's cheek.

"May Merlin be with you, Minerva." She patted his cheek clumsily and turned towards the door. "Oh, Minerva! Wait, there is something I think you should have, a token from Hogwarts, if you will." The young man hastened over to the cabinet filled with silver instruments, and magical gadgets. Rummaging around for a moment he pulled out a large battered key, rusted around the edges. Minerva gasped audibly when she saw it, and her green eyes brimmed with tears. Professor Marx held it out to her in the palm of his hand, and she reached tentively towards it, looking from the key to Maverick uncertainly.

"Its fine, take it, Dumbledore said you should have it." Minerva's eyes instinctively flew to the large portrait behind the desk, where Dumbledore was snoozing. Her heart gave a little pang of disappointment that he wasn't awake to say goodbye to her. Her fingers found the key and her eyes fluttered shut as if she was remembering something.

"Anytime you want to use it feel free." Maverick said quietly as if reading her mind. Professor McGonagall flinched, took the key, thanked him profusely, and then left the study for the last time.

* * *

Rose Weasley was not thrilled that her mother had chosen to travel with her on the Hogwarts express. It was already embarrassing enough that everyone knew her as "Know-it-all Granger's daughter" or "The Hermione clone" But at least at school she had had the advantage of being separated from her mother, to prove that she was an individual. Now, however, this task seemed daunting. How on Earth was she supposed to become independent from her mother, if her mother was constantly around? Albus, unlike her, seemed thrilled by the idea that Aunt Hermione was going to be teaching Transfiguration (his worst subject), for he thought that this meant an easy pass. Rose, who was brilliant at all her subjects, was even less thrilled by the prospect of having to learn from her mother. Last year Professor McGonagall had treated her equally with the rest of the class, if not a little better because Rose was so naturally enthused by the subject, but now…Well Rose knew her mother would try and single her out, would pressure her, push her, and she did not like the idea in the least. Unlike her mother, she was not an attention seeker.

It was these feelings coupled with a moment of desperation for independence that made Rose come to a halt in the train corridor right in front of her mother and Albus.

"Rose, don't stop in the middle of a corridor, you'll hold up traffic."

"Mum, I can't sit with you." Rose blurted, and immediately after she had said it she felt guilty, her whole face burned red.

"What? Why?" Hermione asked, trying not to sound hurt.

"I just can't Mum, I'm sorry, Al, and I promised we'd sit with Score, and well, we just can't sit with you."

"Rose!" Albus said shocked, "Its alright Aunt Hermione, Score won't mind if you sit with us too." Rose through her cousin a death look that credited Hermione and Mrs. Weasley at the same time, Hermione noticed it.

"No, Albus, Rose is right, at Hogwarts I'm your teacher. You don't want to be hanging around with me, go on, I'll see you both at the opening feast anyway." And before Albus could say another word, Hermione had turned into an empty compartment and sat down.

"Rose!" Albus said again, taking a step towards her.

"Come on, Al, were holding up the corridor." And Rose headed off in search of Scorpius. They found him in a compartment towards the end of the train. Rose took a seat next to the window, and stared out for a spell, trying not to think about what she had just done. Albus and Score began talking rapidly of Quidditch that didn't stop until the food trolley arrived two hours later.

"I'm going to try out for the team this year." Albus was saying as he tore into a chocolate frog.

"Me too, what position do you want?" Scorpius asked excitedly, opening a box of every flavored beans.

"Seeker I guess, course if I got it James would kill me, that's the position he wanted you know."

"Yeah, but he should be happy enough with Beater, their good postion's." Score said annoyed, Scorpius made no secret of his dislike for James.

"Are you going to try out Rosie?" Scorpius asked her, shoveling every flavored beans into his mouth.

"She can't this year, Aunt Hermione thinks she's too young, and that she should focus on her studies." Albus supplied looking for his chocolate frog which had got away from him. Rose clenched her fists, she didn't particularly want to try out this year, and she quite agreed with her mother that it was better to focus on her studies, but suddenly none of that mattered, suddenly she wanted nothing more than to make her house team.

"I'm trying out this year, whether Mum likes it or not." She declared, aiming a kick at her school bag under the opposite seat. Albus froze in his search for the frog, and Scorpius gave Albus a confused and anxious look.

"But Rosie? I didn't even know you were that interested in Quidditch." Scorpius said looking at his best friend intently.

"Well- well, that just goes to show that you don't know everything about me Scorpius Malfoy!" Rosie said heatedly turning her gaze on him. Scorpius put up his hands in mock surrender.

"Whoa, Rosie, what did I do? I'm sorry, I'd love it if you made the team, I think you'd be great at it."

"You do?" Rose said her anger dying away on her face.

"Yeah, of course I do, don't you think she'd be great Al?"

"Yeah, you would Rosie." Al said leaning over and patting his cousin on the shoulder.

"Thanks boys, but we had better change into our school robes." They complied even though it was hours before they would arrive, Scorpius into his green Slytherin robes, Albus into his scarlet Gryffindor robes, and Rose into her blue Raveclaw ones.

* * *

Ron Weasley, walked with Hugo into his bother's shop Hogsmede.

"What do you two vagabonds want!" Demanded a cheerful voice from the center of the store.

"Uncle George!" Hugo yelled running towards his uncle. George bent down and swooped up his nephew turning him completely upside down. Hugo yelled in mirth, as George swung him around.

"Oh, you know, just trying to barter off some goods, like my watch, or my son, or something, whichever's more valuable." Ron said watching his son's cheerful beat read face as the blood rushed into it.

"Put me down! Put me down!" Hugo laughed

"Sorry," George said setting him rightside up again, "Ron, I'm sorry I can't take him."

"That's a shame why not?"

"Because I've already got three just like him," George smiled ruefully. Ron laughed.

"Oh I see, what a shame, do you think I'll have any luck with Lee?"

"I doubt it, but you can always ask." Ron laughed again, and then looked around the shop.

"God it's dead in here, where are all your customers?"

"You tell me it was packed before you came in, he scared him off didn't he Hugo?"

"That's right Uncle George." Hugo said beaming up at his favorite Uncle.

"Selling me out, you chump," Ron said rumpling his son's hair. "Well George, Hermione's left me…she's run off to Hogwarts." "I always thought she had a fancy for old Hoggy."

"Yes, so I don't know what I'll do about dinner for me and Hugo tonight, I was going to go to Mum's, but she said that she wanted to spend a quite evening with dad so…"

"Why do you tell me such disgusting things like that Ron?"

"Sorry, so we were wondering if we could eat at your house tonight? Do you think Lydia would mind?"

"No, of course not, sometimes I think she likes you better than me." George said with a wry smile, "It must be your two eared charm." Hugo opened an umbrella in the corner and it immediately began to downpour underneath it. George and Ron both waved their wands in identical motions and the rain stopped and Hugo became dry again.

"Sorry," Hugo said weakly, laying the umbrella down.

"Don't touch anything Hugh, remember that time you got stuck in the retractable toilet." Hugo blushed and walked back over to his father.

"So dinner tonight at six?" George asked, Ron nodded, pulling Hugo by the hand towards the door.

"Yeah, See you at six."

* * *

"Firs' Yers this way" Called a gruff booming voice over the commotion of the students exiting the train. Macayla Prince took a tentative step towards the voice. She wondered briefly what would happen to her if she would just back up, back onto the train and ask to go home. Then she recalled what home was to her, and the filthy smell of the dingy London flat that she had been raised in, the old couple that kept her in order to make money from the government…no she wasn't going home. Gathering her courage she walked carefully, and gracefully towards the voice. She seemed to almost glide on the air with a regality that seemed strange considering her upbringing. She looked underfeed and she was dressed in used robes, yet she walked and carried herself like a princess. She must have looked scarred or worried, for a mousy haired girl came up beside her out of the masses of people and slipped her hand into Macayla's.

"Don't be afraid, Hogwarts is the best place on Earth." The girl said sweetly, and as Macayla looked at her, she was momentarily startled by the intensity of the girls jade eyes, which were almost magical in their own right. Such a contrast to Macayla's dark black eyes.

"I'm Mercedes, Mercedes Malkin. What's your name?"

"Macayla…Prince." Macayla said slowly, she was suddenly wary of the girl, afraid that she was tricking her. She had learned from experience that if people were nice it usually meant they expected something.

"Oh that's a lovely name." Continued the girls sweet voice, and she kept her soft hand clasped around Macayla's coarse one. "Lets be friends Macayla, I like you." The girl said smiling. If it had been daylight, Macayla would have been amazed still further by the perfect little dimples formed in the girls soft skin, but as it was dark, all that Machala could see was the glow of the girls green eyes, and she felt drawn by them. 'Even if she's tricking me, it'll be worth it, if she just keeps holding my hand.' Macayla thought, and together the two girls clambered into a boat, Macayla not even noticing Hagrid.

* * *

R/R. Hope you like it so far.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

* * *

The ginger headed man glanced at the clock, and immediatly looked away in annoyance.

"Why can't we have normal clocks"

"Sorry, sir?" Quintus asked in his deep elf voice. Ron nodded towards the magical wall clock.

"You know, clocks that tell the time." The house elf smiled at Ron.

"It's 5:50, sir."

"5:50! Wait, how did you know that?" Ron asked the elf impressed.

"Its a part of house elf magic, master Ronald, to know the time of day and night." Ron mentally reprimended himself for not knowing yet another piece of houseelf magic, when his own wife had founded the department of services for magical creatures. But turning his thoughts to his dinner appointment at his brother George's he hastened to the foyer to pull on his jacket.

"Thank you Quintus, thats great to know. Oh uh, do you happen to know where Hugo is, by the way?" Ron asked now looking around the foyer for his wand.

"Yes, sir, he's in his room, reading." Ron laughed the idea of Hugo reading anything was a little ridiculous, never had a child hated reading more.

"Reading? You can't be serious Quintus."

"Quite serious, sir, I believe its a book about charming witches and the safe ways in which to do so." Ron froze and glanced at his reflection in the foyer mirror. The reflection simply shrugged, but offered no advice.

"Thanks Nor, your a lot of help"

"Well, your the one who bought 3 extra copies." His reflection said defensivley.

"Shall I fetch him, master Ronald?"

"Uh, yeah, yeah that'd be great Quintus, and if you could, when were gone, hide that book."

"Yes, sir." The elf went off up the stairs, while Ron waited in the foyer. Moments later Hugo appeared dressed in a bright orange sweater with a three giant WWW, for Weasley's Wizard Whezzes, and a pair of purple pants.

"Hugo! What are you wearing?" Ron asked laughing.

"What, Mum's not here, so I can wear it can't I dad?"

"Well?" HIs son looked at him pleadingly, then glancing at Quintus who gestured at the clock on the wall and mouthed 5:55.

"Alright, but don't tell your mother that I let you out in that."

"Cool!" Hugo yelled, and toghether father and son left Shreak House, and headed down the walk towards Hogsmead village. The once dillapidated victorian house that had occupied the hill in Hogsmede for so long, had been beautifully re-done into one of the most renowned homes in the world. Not only because, of its, beautifull restored veranda, or its many turrents and arcitecutal wonders, but because it was the home of Ron and Hermione Weasley. And that made Shreak House (as it was now called) along with Grimmwauld Place the two most famous residences in the magical world. Ron was constantly plauged with tourists trying sneak over the invisible barriers by an array of magical concoctions and spell, or by paparazzi's waiting just outside the gate trying to snap his or his families pictures. However, this particular eveing was free of any such dissturbances and Ron and Hugo were both relieved to walk out of their gate and into the village without any interupptions.

"Dad, can't we surprise them again?" Hugo asked eagerly, reaching up and tugging his dads hand. Ron laughed at his son and placed his hand on the back of his son's neck.

"Don't you think we surprise them enough? It'll hardley be a surprise anymore. Plus were running late, they may not take it as well if were late Hugh."

"Oh, sure they will, come on can't we?"

"Well alright, but again, don't tell your mother." Ron said seriously, and then, gripping his son tightly he spun on the spot and the two of them vanished tight into the home of Fred and Lydia Weasley.

* * *

Once she was inside the gates, Hermione sent a patronas charm straight to professor Marx. Then she hastened up towards the school, feeling a strange sense of unease. She wondered brienfly what Ron and Hugo were doing and found her brown chochlate eyes straying towards her home just minuets away in Hogsmede.

'I shouldn't have taken the train, why did I do that? When it would have been so simple just to come straight from home.' 'I thought Rose would want it.' 'I was wrong.' Hermione sighed, and a distant rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. She didn't understand her daughter sometimes, she herself would have been thrilled if her mother had travelled with her on the Hogwarts express, let alone taught at the school. Rose, however, didn't seem to feel that way.

'But its natural that she should want her space and her friends.' Hermione reminded herself, feeling silly suddenly. The sky rumbled again, and Hermione thought of Hugo and Ron again, wondering what they would do for dinner...Quintus wasn't payed to do cooking. Suddenly she was overcome by the impulse to turn around and walk back through the gates, into Hogsmede, to go home. But as soon as Hermione felt this impulse she knew she couldn't do it, she had already given Professor Marx her word that she was comming. It was done. A distant figure was comming down from the school towards her, Hermione squinted to see who, the shape was unfamiliar to her. Then suddnely with a flash of lighting, illuminating the sky she realized who it was. She beamed, and quickened her pace. The figure waved.

"Neville!" She called when he was feet from her.

"Hermione!" Neville returned streaching his arms wide to embrace her. Now Hermione saw why his shape had been unfamiliar, he was covered in a mass of vines, leaves, and moss, which wrapped all around his body. Hermione laughed and embraced him, overcome for a moment with happiness. At least Neville was here at Hogwarts, good, sweet Neville, he would want her here.

"Neville, why on Earth are you covered in these plants?" Hermione asked when she pulled back,

"Plants? No, no Hermione, this isn't a plant, this is a Humanious Encompius." Neville said proudly. Hermione frowned uncomprehending for a moment and then, realization dawned. A Humanious Encompius (Hermione had read) was a magical 'plant' that used a living human body to take in nourishment and to grow, since it couldn't in the ground. They were very rare (seeing the methods they used to survive were rather annoying to most humans), but if worn for three monts, the Humanious Encompius would bloom into unique flowers that were said to mirror the bearers soul.

"Oh, how long have you been wearing it Neville?" Hermione asked.

"About two months now, so not much longer now. But how are you? What made you change your mind?" Neville asked as the two of them made their way up towards the castle.

"Oh, I don't know, I just...well you know I couldn't resist Hogwarts Neville." Hermione said vaugley, for in truth she was no longer sure what had made her decide to come, after avoiding it for so long.

"Well I'm glad you couldn't, now if only we could get Harry here"

"Well that will never happen." Hermione said quickly, feeling a slight pang of annoyance that he had excluded Ron. Like Hermione Harry had been asked every year to come teach at Hogwarts, for the postion of Defense Against the Dark Arts, and every year (like Hermione) he had turned it down. Ron had been asked too, but only once, and it was for the Madam Hooch's is old position of Quidditch coach and Flying instructor. Ron had pretended not to feel the blunt of this, but he had hidden his resentment badly, and this was part of the reason Harry and Hermione had always turned down their offered positions, not to mention the desire to stay near their families, and jobs at the ministry.

"Yes I'm afraid you might be right about that." Neville said, and the thunder coupled his words. They walked into the entrance hall, and in the candle light Neville turned towards Hermione. "You have to greet the first years here, and usher them into the great hall, its your position now, can you do it?" Neville asked, a vine streaching itself out in the candle light brushing Hermione's chin.Hermione eyed it, and must have looked unsure for Neville smilled and shook his head. "Don't worry its easy, but if you don't think you can, I'll do it for you."

"No, no, thats fine, I know what to do."

"Good," Neville said smiling. There was a clatter down the hallway to their left, and Hermione and Neville turned to see the older students marching in, having arrived from the carriages.

"Well, I have to go take my place at the staff table, Good luck Hermione, and again I'm so glad you decided to teach finally"

"Thanks, Neville, do I just wait here for them"

"What I can't hear?" Neville called over the roar of voices, and students filed past them on all sides, Neville was being pushed towards the doors to the great hall. Hermione pointed towards the ground and mouthed 'here'.

"Oh, yes, just wait there," Neville said, and then all Hemrione could see was a mass of green vines bobbing alond with the other heads all heading into the hall. Hermione sighed, the absense of Neville brought back the sense of dread and out of placeness that she had been feeling all day.

"Aunt Hermione!" A familiar voice called to her from the crowd, Hermione spun on the spot. Fred Weasley stood before her, his red hair looked dark auburn in the dim candle light of the great hall.

"Fred! How was your ride here."

"Good, thanks, but why were you riding by yourself? I thought Al and Rosie were going to sit with you?" Fred asked fighting to stay beside his aunt with all the bodies moving around him.

"Well, they wanted their space, you know," Hermione said wanting to change the subject. "But Fred, we'll talk later, you'd better hurry into the great hall now, all the good places will be gone." Finally the Entrance hall had cleared, and Hermione was left alone in the all too familiar entrance hall, where she had witnessed to many incredible things. Fred and George's great exit, that same year Trewlany being 'almost' sacked, making her grand entrance to the yule ball with Victor Krum, sneaking with Harry and Ron under the invisibility cloak. The bloody baron flew resolutly over her head moaning and clanking his chains into the great hall, and she felt a great sense of pride for Hogwarts, and in that moment realized that there was no where she would rather be.

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Hope you liked it, please RR. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

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Gliding as if enchanted, the small wooden boats carried the new students to the stone landing. It was Hagrid's that arrived first, and with a stupendous effort he hosted himself out of the boat, almost capsizing it in the process. But the boat righted itself, in an almost indigent manner, and then began to slowly and steadily sink into the lake. Hagrid grunted to no one in particular and then,

"Alright, come on now, out of yer boats!" The children's faces, illuminated by the numerous torches on the cavernous walls around them, watched in wonder until the last of the boat had disappeared into the water, and only tiny ripples remained of evidence of its existence. Hagrid, confused by their hesitation began assisting the first years, by picking them up and transferring them onto the landing. Every time a boat was emptied it too followed Hagrid's and sank slowly and deliberately into the lake. At last every boat was emptied, and Hagrid, casting a lingering look on all the first years before him, sniffed, wiped his nose on his sleeve and then said,

"Now, just go up them stairs, and you'll meet a professor, I don't know who it'll be tonight, could be Hermio- err- Professor Weasley, or it could by Professor Longbottom, but yer to follow them from there, understand?" His gruff voice sounded snuffly as he strained to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. It always touched Hagrid to see new Hogwarts students with their whole student career before them, all of them scared and anxious. They all nodded, their eyes owlish looking in the glow of the light, Hagrid sniffed again, and then gave great whooshing movements with his hands indicating for them to go. They all turned haphazardly towards the stairs, and the silence that had more or less befallen them over the lake, was broken by a wave of chatter and excitement, now that they were actually inside Hogwarts.

Two little girls Hagrid noticed lagged behind, standing at the far side of the room, one pulling gently on the others arm, while the other stared down at the still rippling water.

"Come on Macayla, we'll miss the sorting."

"But where did they go? Why did they sink? I don't believe it…" said the girl leaning over the water, her sallow face reflecting the waters movements. The other girl laughed warmly, and put her arm around Macayla's shoulder.

"Silly, its magic, they'll come back up next year, when they have to bring more students across the lake." But Macayla suddenly jerked out from the little girls arm, her face contorted in a scowl, she backed away from her, towards the wall.

"How do you know!?" She demanded angrily. The brown headed little girl turned towards Macayla bewildered.

"My mother told me,"

"Well your mothers a liar, I don't believe it! Its not real! This is all a trick! I'm not crazy!" Hagrid thought this should be the point where he intervened. Stepping out from the shadows, he walked towards the girls, a fixed smile upon his face, he had had to deal with this sort of reaction before, it was rather common among muggleborns. Once he remembered, a little boy had caused such havoc on the platform that he had had to stuptefy him just to get him into the boat.

"Well now, what's all this about here, not arguing already are we?" Both girls spun around to face Hagrid who loomed feet above them. Fear splashed onto the brown headed little girls soft features for a second, and then was replaced by a warm smile, while the other girl Macayla only backed further against the wall, her dark eyebrows knitted together fiercely.

"No, sir, my friend just doesn't't understand where the boats went; maybe you could explain it to her, sir?"

"Gladly, but not right now because you both are about to miss the sorting ceremony, but if you come by my cabin tomorrow for tea, say around 4, I'll tell you all about them, and anything else that may be confusing to ye." The little girl smiled brighter, her jade green eyes seemed evade the candlelight and the darkness giving off an almost eerie glow all to their own.

"Thank you, sir, we'll be there."

"Good, now run along." With reluctance Macayla allowed herself to be pulled away from the wall towards the stairs, where everyone else had already disappeared, casting queer looks occasionally back over her shoulders, both to Hagrid, and the long lost boats.

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With an unexpected crash Ron and Hugo landed in Fred's house, right onto of their dinning room table. The table smashed in half, and in a mess of fish, china, and silverware, the father and son were on the floor.

"Damn!" Ron bellowed, after realization set in. "Damn! Hugo, you alright?" Ron sat up, bits of potatoes in his hair, and looked down at his son who was wincing as he pulled his hand out of a hot tea kettle.

"Yeah, just burned my hand, and hurt my bum….gosh do you think Uncle George will be mad?" Ron looked up quickly for any sign of his brother or his brothers family, but oddly enough they seemed to be no where in sight. Even stranger, was the fact that though they had fallen on the dining room table, they were not in the dining room. They were in fact, exactly where Ron had intended to land, in the foyer. Ron instinctively reached for his wand, which like Harry he now carried in his back pocket. Hugo noticed his father's action, and fear compounded over his features, and in the mess of food and china he inched closer to his dad.

"It's probably a trick dad, right? A trick of Uncle George's?" Ron glanced down at his son's worried face, and forced himself to smile reassuringly.

"I don't know, Hugh." He said truthfully, and he slowly erected himself into a stand, pulling Hugo up by his unburned hand. "Stand behind me OK," Ron said to his son, while casting his eyes suspiciously around the room. True he had been tricked countless times by Fred, and his three sons who were a lot like him, but somehow this didn't feel like a trick. Maybe it was from working as an auror so long, maybe he was just paranoid, but as Ron glanced around the unusually silent house he couldn't help but sense darker forces afoot. Then suddenly the whole house went pitch black, and the room rocked violently to one side. Hugo whined in fear and hugged his father's free arm with all his might.

"Lumos!" Nothing happened, "Lumos Maximus!" Nothing. "Peruvian all purpose darkness powder, Hugo stop crying….Its going to be alright." Ron's heart was pounding in his head, in his line of work he had been in much dangerous situations but never had he had his son with him, and never had his family been at stake…not since the war. "Hugo listen to me, behind you is the door, do you feel it?"

"Yes," Hugo whispered after a moment, terror in his voice.

"Can you turn the knob?" Hugo rummaged around with his hand, finding the knob he turned, it wouldn't budge.

"It's stuck." Hugo whispered back. Ron sighed, his last hope that this was all his brothers doing drained out of him, his brother would never lock them in…no matter what else, he wouldn't lock them in.

"Stand out of the way, Hugo." Hugo moved around his father, still hugging his arm. Ron pointed his wand towards the door, "Alohamora," He thought the spell this time, nothing. Half a dozen other complex unlocking, destruction, and penetration spells later and still nothing. One thing was for certain, this was dark magic.

"Dad!" Hugo's voice had raised an octave, and the shriek brought Ron out of his contemplation, in the corner of the room, a greenish mist had started to appear.

"Deletrius!" Ron shouted out loud this time, his wand pointed at the mist. Horse laughter echoed across the room, Hugo screamed. "Show yourself!" Ron shouted, sounding braver than he felt. He would give anything to not have had Hugo with him. The laughter died, like thunder dying on the wind, and the mist started to spiral and coil, like a long snake unraveling into the room. 'why now? Why this time' thought Ron miserably as his son wept on his shoulder, 'TIME!' "Quintas!" Ron shouted again as loud as he could making Hugo jump. There was a loud crack, and the silhouette of a house elf stood before them, slightly blocking the mist.

"Yes, master?"

"Quintas take Hugo ho-" The room rocked so violently that Ron, Hugo, and Quintas flew against the wall, dishes soon flowed, and broken glass and furniture covered the trio. "Take Hugo!" Ron bellowed over the crushing noise that surrounded him, the room rocked again, and he fell onto the ceiling. He heard Hugo scream again, close, he reached for him, but the room was too dark he couldn't see. All that was visible was the green mist that surrounded him now, swirling and spiraling around him. He raised his wand again, "Evanesco!" He shouted, and miraculously the mist seemed to weaken, like he had poured too much water into tea.

"Master Ronald?!" Quintas yelled suddenly right in his ear. The room lurched, this time full circle, a block tumbling down a hill. Ron was slammed again and again into the wall, into loose furniture, something snapped, his wrist?

"TAKE HUGO, GO!" Was all Ron could manage over the roar that surrounded him. What had happened? Images popped into Ron's head of Voldemort returning, of throngs of death eaters, of a new dark lord, a new threat, but over it all he thought of Hugo, of Fred, his nephews, his sister in law…where were they. The room came to a dead stop, Ron landed in a pile of wood and glass, his whole body throbbing. "Hugo?!" He called, no answer. Ron closed his eyes against the darkness, praying that Quintas took him. The green mist seemed to have vanished, and now the whole room lay in utter darkness, he noticed though that there seemed to be a slight breeze, and it seemed colder than it had before…as if he wasn't in Fred's house at all…but somewhere else.

The horse laughter started again, coming from all sides of him. Ron went to raise his wand, only to discover that it wasn't his wand anymore, it was broken. Fear quaked through his bruised body with an intensity Ron hadn't felt since the time he and Harry had gotten stuck in the throng of spiders in the forbidden forest. He was wandless, he was in a void, and he was off his guard.

"Why didn't you leave with your house elf, Relis?" Came the deepest most ragged voice Ron had ever heard, making his skin crawl. He looked around futilely for its source, feeling a hot sticky substance run down his face into his mouth, blood.

"Who are you?" Ron asked, wishing his voice didn't crack as he said it.

"I asked you first?" The horse laugher kicked in again, so loud that Ron had to cover his ears to keep from screaming.

"An auror never leaves a scene!" Ron yelled, deciding that under the circumstances it would be better not to tantalize his captor.

"An auror? Is that what you call yourself?" Croaked the voice in mock amusement.

"Yes, what do you call yourself?" Ron's brain was racing again, no wand, no Hugo, it was getting colder and colder ever minuet, he had to act fast. He wasn't good at wandless magic, not at all, but he had to try. In his mind, silently, he began muttering an incantation.

" Fair enough, Relis, I am Mordred."

"What have you done with my family?" Ron shouted again, all the while muttering in his head.

"Oh, don't worry about them. They told me you might drop in for dinner, so I thought I'd speed up the process…were you surprised, Relis, with my little trick?"

"What did you do with them?" Ron demanded again, the laughter again, booming this time.

"I'll admit I am disappointed with you Relis, your brother put up a much more worthy fight, and you a…what was it Relis…an auror?" Ron's body shook violently; he closed his eyes, concentrating with all his might on the incantation now. His mind blazed, he thought the voice was talking again, but he couldn't hear it. Wind tussled his hair, and lifted the sweat from his brow.

"You Relis……wand……..return……I will again…….our blood…..brother…..Hogwarts" Then he felt it, the magic grip his heart, a warmth that alone beat out the cold. He felt he was doing a patronas charm, his body lifted into the air, the walls were reverberating, if there were walls. The voice was screeching now, it was a horrific sound, but Ron was immobile, he couldn't cover his ears. He muttered aloud now, over the wailing monster. And then at last as he was being transported, he felt his mind slip into unconsciousness, his last thought of Hermione and Harry.

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Sorry it took me so long..hope you enjoy...please review too, tell me what I could do to make it better. Criticism is welcome.

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